Improvement in extracting iron from the slag of blast-furnaces



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`EDWARD JAMES BIRD, OFFROSTBURG, MARYLAND Leners Patent No. 108,235, dated october 11, 187e.

Tho Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the Same- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD JAMES BIRD, of Frostburg, Maryland, have invented a new and improved Methd'of Extracting Iron or other Met-als from the Ore, andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of same, reference being had to thefaccompanying drawing making a part of this specification.

The usual method of obtaining iron from iron ore in blast-furnaces, by smelting the ore with fluxes, or alone by means of carbonaceous fuel and blast, is well known, as is also the method of obtaining malleable iron direct from iron ore melted with blast and charcoal, in a bloomery.

My method consists in obtaining i'ron direct from iron ore, 0r from slag containing oxide of iron, by mixing either of these substances with the fluid slag which runs from a blast-furnace wherein iron ore is smelted with carbonaccous fuel. The heat of' the .slag is found sudicieut to smelt the ore, and the iron in it separates from the slag by its superior specificI gravity.

The drawing shows the' apparut-us, constructed so as to accomplish my improved method, inv which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus used in conjunction with my method to accomplish thc extracting of iron or other metals from the ore.

-Figure 2 is a` plan view of same.

To enable those skilled in the art to use my inyention, I will now proceed to describe it. 4

dlhe slag from the blast-furnace flows through the trough A into the receptacle B, formed of iron, firebrick, or other suitable material.

C and O are two tuyercs or tubes, through `which air or gas may be forced upon and into the fluid slag.

The iron when formed is tapped out through the tap-hole d.

The operation is as follows:

. Powdered ore, or slag containing oxide of iron, is placed in the receptacle B, and a stream of slag from a blast-furnace directed in upon it. The heat of the slag soon melts the ore, which is quicklyreduced, the

iron is carbonized and ows to the bottom of the ressel. More ore is added as it is required.

'Blast or gas is forced through the tuyeres, which keeps the slag in co'nstant agitation, and facilitates the separat-ion ofthe iron. Small coke-dust or refuse coal may be thrown onv the surface of the sla-g, by whiclrthe heat is retained, so that it will ow out ot' the receptacle, after it has given ofi' a portion of its heat to the ore that has been smelted.

- The above-described operation iseither continuous or intermittent, and is under the control of the person attending the blast-furnace.

I n some instances, where the blast-furnace is small from which the slag is used, the receptacle B may b e made of cast or wrought-iron, and provided with hooks or rings by which it can be lifted from its place with a crane, and replaced by another. The iron and slag may then cooltogether,'and afterward separated. This, however, is only where the operation is carried on slowly.

In large furnaces yielding abundance ot' slag, the iron will be formed so rapidly that it may be tapped into molds in the same manner as pigs are usually formed.

Having thus described my invention,

That I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of' the United States, is*- 1. The method of obtaining iron by applying the heat carried od by Vslag from a blast-furnace to smelt iron ore, or slag containing iron, substantially as specified.

2. Jets of blast or gas applied to Huid slag, to more eiectually mix iron, or oxide of iron with it, to facilitate thel separation of the iron formed by the mixture, substantially as specilied.4

l In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name iu the presence 'of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD J AMES- BIRD. [11. s]

Witnesses z G. W. BIBDSALL, BENJ. THOMAS. 

